Liquid dispenser



June 2, 1936. c. H. ERNE LIQUID DISPENSER Filed July 3, 1933 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID DISPENSER Charles H. Erne, Maywood, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 3, 1933, Serial No. 678,949

4 Claims. (Cl. 22123) This invention relates in general to an im- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container, proved method and device for dispensing liquids funnel spout and cutter, with parts broken away and more particularly to expeditiously dispensing and parts in section to show details of construca unit charge of lubricating oil from a sealed, tion; and

tamperproof container, which is destroyed dur- Fig. 3 is a partly sectional, partly elevational 5 ing the dispensing operation. View showing the assembled container and funnel The principal object of the invention is to prospout cutter in tilted or pouring position. vide a frangible oil container of sheet metal The preferred embodiment of the invention and/ or fibre adapted to be sealed in a liquid tight illustrated in the drawing comprises generally a and tamperproof manner, in combination with a Sheet metal container A, a substantially bottle 10 simple, inexpensive funnel spout having an shaped funnel spout B and a container opening opening device therein which comes into cutting device or cutter C. operation while the funnel spout is inverted over Preferably, the con a A is an Ordinary tin the oil container and is in liquid tight sealing can produced by the automatic machinery now in engagement with the container, so that a unit general use and is of a size to hold an exact unit 15' charge of oil may be readily dispensed'from the charge of lubricating oil, for example a quart. container through the funnel spout and directly It may, however, be made in a n mber of ifferinto the filling opening of an automobile crank ent sizes, for instance, half gallon, gallon .or five case or other ultimate place of deposit. qu r size. or ny other desired size.

An important object of the invention is the The con iner A shown on h drawing is 20 provision of a novel method of dispensing formed from sheet metal, such as tin plate, and branded or labeled motor oils in sealed, tampercomprises a cylind y having a bot o proof containers in an expeditious and economiend secured to it in any su liquid t t cal manner, which method is designed to subm nn as by m s f a double m t p stantially prevent substitution and adulteration end is secured to the body II by a like seam l3 and 25b of the oils and to protect the ultimate purchaser has a countersunk wall or panel against adulterated and inferior quality. It will be readily understood that the container Another important object of the invention is A may also be made entirely of fibre, suitably the provision of a combination pouring spout and oil proofed, or it may take the form of a fibre body funnel, shaped and dimensioned so as to conduct with metal ends. The materials used are in- 30i and transfer liquids, such as lubricating oils, consequential so long as the container is sealed from a substantially widely opened container to in a liquid tight and tamperproof manner. In a more or less restricted opening in the ultimate order to assure the ultimate purchaser that he place of deposit, such as the filling holes of received the brand and quality of lubricating oil automobile crank cases, which difier in size and he asks and pays for, the oil container A may be 35- accessibility according to different makes and marked with the brand of oil it contains, by sizes of cars, and to make such transfer speedily lit ap O labeling r in y Other Suita and with a minimum waste of oil and motion and manner. Fig. 1 shows an example of such with a minimum soiling of the devices involved. marking.

Still another important objectof the invention The funnel spout B, preferably made from 40 is the provision of such a combination pouring seamless brass or copper tubing, and gradually spout, delivery funnel and opening device proreduced by spinning from its largest diameter vided with a container engaging sealing gasket to its smallest diameter is substantially frustoor packing and adapted to sealingly' telescope conical or bottle shaped.

over a filled oil container and simultaneously It comprisesatubular body l5 of comparatively 45 open and destroy the container. large diameter at its lower end and at its upper Numerous other objects and advantages of the end gradually tapering into a'comparatively small invention will be apparent as it is better underdiameter neck or spout 16, which, at its outer exstood from the following description, which, taken tremity, defines a restricted circular pouring openin connection with the accompanying drawing, ing H. The body 55, adjacent its large diameter 50 discloses a preferred embodiment thereof. bottom, has its tubular wall turned outwardly and Referring to the drawing: upwardly and then, downwardly to form an outer Figure 1 is a perspective view of a suitable oil annular groove !8, an inner groove I9 and a decontainer and funnel spout in superposed alignpending skirt or collar 2!, which terminates in ment; an inwardly and upwardly bent flange 22. 55

' simultaneously with'the inversion and telescoping spoutbody- [5.

The cylindrical collar 2| has a larger internal diameterthanthe outer diameter of the cylindrical container body II, and in order to provide is securedin place within the collar 2| by crowding and crimping the gasket between the parts l8, l9 and 22.

It will be readily seen that instead of spinning'the funnel spout B from' seamless tubing,

it may well be formed from a flat blank of anysuitable sheet metal, in which case the edges of the blank would be joined in a side seam. Also; the collar 2| maybe joined to the body 15 as a separate piece instead of being formed integrally with th'e b'ody as is shown in the drawing.

Thefunnel spout B maybe made in a'number of different sizes and diameters to telescopingly and sealingly fit corresponding sizes and diameters; of oil containers-above referred to.

- In order that the container A may be opened of' the funnel spout B over the container, the openingdevice or cutter C is secured in cutting posit-ion' to the-innerwall of the tubular funnel The cutter C 'may take any of a number of suitable forms, the preferred form illustrated cbmprising a body or frame part having'a cylindricalve'rtical wall 24 engaging the inner wall of the funnel body l5 andsecured thereto in any suitable manner, as by spot welds 25.

verticalf'lwall 21 So much of the opening device a"s*--hasf thusffar been described is continuous within the'spout body. Two cutterbIades ZBHeX- tend down from thegvertical wall 27. These blades ft-depend verticallyat opposite sides of the cutter device andare arcuately curved or bowed out-- Wardlyand terminate in rounded and tapered,

sharp cut edges 29, adapted to produce arcuate cuts in thetop end of a filled oil container.

Associated with the frame part of theopening device-1C and reinforcing it, .is a wall deflecting m'ember 3|, arranged diametrically across the wall '24-, and havingarcuate terminal flanges bent in opposite directions, supported by the annular shoulder 26 and secured to the inner surface of the wall 24. The metal of the deflecting member 3| is extended'downwardly and outwardly at two opposite points and towards the centers -otthe respective blades 23, to provide curved deflecting arms 32, which terminate a little short of the cutting edges 29. The function "of thesearms 32 is to deflector turn inwardly,

as shown at 33, the uncut portions of the container topinside the lines-of cut, thereby enlarging the openings produced by the cutting blades,28;?andpermitting rapid draining of the liquid fromthe container.

, The recess formed by the parts26 and 21 of the cutter and the wall of the body [5 may be 7 j utilized for the reception of an annular sealing gasket 34, which ispreferably secured in place by crowding it'into the recess.

' The operation ofthe combination oil dispensing'device and the steps of the method of dispensing are preferably as follows:

Whena unit charge of oil ofa certain requested The vertical :Walldkmerges into a horizontal shoulder or ledge 25, which in turn merges" into a short brand is to be dispensed into the crankcase of an automobile at a filling station, the attendant selects (preferably in full view of the purchaser) j a filled; sealed and labeled oilcontainer A of the desired size and brand, then selects the proper size funnel spout B, with cutter C therein, and inverts the wide, open end of the funnel spoutover the top ofthe filled container, past the seam l3, so that the collar'2l' assumes a position just below the seam, with the gasket 23 tightly embracing the cylindrical wall of the container body ll. V

a This initial positioning of the funnel spout brings the cutting .edges 29 of the blades 28 of ithecutter. into proper alignment and engagement-with thetop end of the container.

Further downward forcing of the funnel spout causes theblades 28 to cut through the panel l4 and causes the arms 32 to deflect or'curl inwardly the uncut portions of the panel l4 as clearly shown ingFi'gi 2', and'-this downward movementfof the-funnel and'cutter is continued until the gasket lined-shoulder 23 comesto a stop upon 7 thestop edge of 'the-seam'l 3, when the cutting and deflecting operation is completed. The container A is now ineffective, oil tight,'sealing engagement with the funnel' spout and cutter, and no oil can escape, exceptthrough the open" cutting device C; and-thence through the funnel spout when the container and funnelaretilted to pouring position, .as-illustrated in Fig. 3, where reference letter B indicates the filling neck of an automo- The oil is thus readily trans bile crankcase. ferred fromfth'e container A, through the open cutter C,'the funnelspoutB, and into the filling opening of the crank case flllingneck D.

' Instead of' merely resting the part l6 upon'the part D, thefunnel neck or spout l6 may be projected into'thefillirig opening of the crank case a sufficientf-distanceto hold the funnel B and attached container A in fully inverted, substantially vertica'l, po'uring position without other support; vice'ziin this position while he goes for another container and funnel. In-order to permit the rapid draining of the 011, an air vent hole 35 (Fig. 3) is provided in the funnel spout body. The funnel neck orspout I6 is of such diameter and taper that it will readily fit the filling hole of any standard motorcar from the smallest to the largest make.

Providing the funnel spout Bwith a self contained cutter Chas several important advantages, i. e., separate opening devices such as the usual can openers, which are easily lost, mislaid or stolen, are. eliminated; the cutter C is always 1 The attendant may then leave the-deat hand and'ready for useand since the opening of the container and the application of the funnel spout are one combined, simultaneousoperation, a separate operation,i. e., the opening of the oil container before the funnel spout is applied thereto, is eliminated.

Instead of permanently securing the cutter C to the inside of the funnel spout B, it may be removably secured, for example, by means of'a nut and bolt connection.

' After the container .has'been out, spilling of 2 oil is prevented by the gasket 34, provided the funnel be. not tilted out of axial line with the,

container A; and if such tilting occurs in ban dling, transporting or pouring into'and from the funnel, the gasket 23 is always in liquid-tight contact with the outside or cylindricalpart of the container or top seam l3 and clings to the same and prevents any escape of oil along the exterior surface of the container.

Tilting of" the device out of axial alignment with the container is sub-: stantially prevented by the resilient element or gasket 23; thus, the latter serves not only as an auxiliary sealing element, but also tends to hold the device in proper alignment with the container to be opened.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. An oil delivery device, comprising a funnel shaped body adapted to telescopically receive a portion of an oil container, said body having a sealing gasket located intermediate its ends and adapted to be engaged by the end of the received oil container, said body also being provided with a cutting element adapted to cut a pouring opening in said container portion and also provided intermediate said gasket and the end of said funnel body with a sealing element adapted to make, liquid tight sealing engagement with the side wall of said container, thereby preventing escape of oil except through the open end portion of the container.

2. An oil delivery funnel, comprising a body portion and a spout portion, a cutting device and a sealing element in said body portion, said body portion being adapted to be inverted over a cylindrical double seamed oil container to be opened,

said cutting device being adapted to cut a. plurality of openings in said container as said body portion is moved oversaid container,- said sealing element having an'internal cylindrical surface adapted to have liquid tight contact with 5 the outside of the container below its top double seam during the cutting operation.

3. An oil delivery funnel, comprising a body portion and a spout portion, a cutting device and a yielding element in said body portion, said body portion being adapted to be inverted over a double seamed oil container to be opened, sai-d cutting device being adapted to cut a discharge opening in said container as said body portion is inverted thereover, said element having an internal yielding surface adapted to have sliding engagement with the outside of said container below the double seam thereof during the cutting operation.

4. A combined container opening and liquid dispensing device, comprising a body portion and a spout portion, said body portion having an open end adapted to receive an end portion of a liquid holding container, a cutter attached to the inner wall of said body portion between said spout and said open end and extending along said inner wall to adjacent said open end, said cutter being spaced from said wall between its point of attachment and said open end, a stop shoulder formed between said body portion and said cutter, a sealing gasket upon said shoulder, and yielding means between said sealing gasket and said open end for holding said device in axial alignment with said container.

CHARLES H. ERNE. 

